Dave Matthews Band

Wednesday, July 2 @ Marcus Amphitheater, 7 p.m.

Born
in Johannesburg, South Africa, singer-songwriter Dave Matthews lived in New
York’s Westchester County, then Cambridge, England, and again in Johannesburg
before settling in Charlottesville, Va., the city to which he is most closely
linked. It’s fair to say that all that experience has colored Matthews’ music
and political views, contributing to the unique sound he has today.

Matthews,
who favors acoustic rhythm guitar over flashy electric lead solos, writes in a
soulful style that has successfully straddled the pop-rock world for more than
two decades. He originally assumed others would sing his music, but his gently
textured voice has lent his band its unique sound and has been favored in duets
with everyone from Emmylou Harris to Mick Jagger.

Matthews
actually began his career as an amateur actor with Charlottesville’s Offstage
Theatre, before progressing to films, including several Adam Sandler comedies
and several appearances on the Fox TV series “House.” He’s also collaborated
with winemaker Steve Reeder to create Dreaming Tree Wines as well as
establishing his own Blenheim Vineyards on 10 acres he purchased in Virginia’s
Albemarle County.

Matthews
also is politically active for liberal causes and gay rights, sensitivities
spurred by his personal witness of South Africa’s brutal apartheid politics.
It’s also given him a sense of the importance of personal freedom in daily
life. “The future is no place to place your better days,” Matthews wrote in the
song “Cry Freedom.” His fans would admit that truer words were never spoken.